Sheet folding machine



Oct. 1, 1940. G. E. SMITH El AL smaa'r FOLDING MACHINE F iled March 12. 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS STALLWORTHY m T n WW QWM Oct. 1, 1940. E, SMlTH AL 2,216,655

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS QESMITH STALLWORT/{Y ray w wwvs.

Oct. 1, 1940. G. E. SMITH E'r AL 2,216,655

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 20 T I 5 8 l0 '1 mvzufons G.E.' SMITH W. W. STALL WORTHY' ATTVS.

Oct. 1, 1940. e. E. SMITH r-rr AL 2,216,655

SfiEE'I F OLDING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ,e; E. SMITH WW STAL-LWORTHY Oct. 1, 1940. a. E. SMITH El AL SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1938 s sheaths-Sheet s mvamoes G, E. SMITH Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED srArEs PAT NT OFFICE worthy, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Toronto Type- Foundry Gompany Limited; To-

ronto, Ontario, Ganada Application March 12, 1938, Serial N 0-195598. In Great Britain MarchZZ, 1937 4 Claims. (Cl. 270-799 This inventionrelates to machines for folding sheets of, paper or like flexible material and is more particularly directed to machines of this kind which are adapted to impart, to the sheets what is commonly known as a concertina fold,

such as is sometimes used for example in the production of maps, timetables, brochures and certain types of pamphlets.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine which is of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction. and readily adaptable to produce concertina folds of varying size or depth.

The sheets to be folded are; fed in. succession individually between a pair of movable folding plates which are arranged insubstantially known manner in oppositely moving relation to pass through the plane of the sheetvso that while one of the folding plates is caused. temporarily to hold the requisite portion of the sheet to be folded, the other folding. plate is brought into contact with said sheet portionto effect the folding thereof and retain it.in,the folded position while the first folding plate is withdrawnv and v operated to act on the next portion of the sheet by a substantial repetition of. the operation previously performed by the second plate. Further folds are then formed by continued operation of the plates in an alternating sense. These folding plates are conveniently positioned respectively above and below the sheet which is fed between them in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane by feed mechanism of an appropriate type; the arrangement being such that in performing the functions referred to each. fold plate in succession bends the sheet about the free edge of the other in opposite direction thus producing in each sheet consecutive folds of the concertina type of a number which maybe readily varied.

Each sheet before being folded inthis machine is preferably pre-folded to, present a single, upward transverse fold at its leading edge which is engaged bythe; feed mechanism on, advancing the sheets one by one to the folding plates. According to this invention the folding plates are associated with mechanism enabling the depth of the folds produced to bevaried and are with advantage associated also with guide plates which are set apart so as to receive the folded sheets and guide them under proper control into a suitable collecting trough or like stacking receptacle.

Any convenient means may be used; for driving and for controlling the operation of the mechanism.

A machine embodying mechanism enabling this invention to be carried into effect is illustrated by way of example more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in

which: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine and Fig. 2. a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a, detail view of the feed mechanism showing the feed lever in its retracted position and the position ofv its controlling cams at, this stage.

Fig. dis a detail view similar to Fig. 3 of the feed mechanism showing the feed lever in its advanced position, and its relation, to the. controlling cams.

Fig. 5 is a side elevationo-f the feed mechanism again in the advanced position, but to a larger scale than Fig. 4.

Fig.6 is a detail. faceview of the folding plates.

Figs. 7,,8 and. 9. show three respective positions of, the folding, plates during consecutive stages of their, operation and.

10 represents an. enlarged diagrammatic plan view illustrating an example of mechanism for use in varying the throw of theupper fold plate. to. produce folds of varying width.

Fig; 11 is apart sectional elevation of a portion ofthe machine shown in Fig. 1, drawn to a larger scale for the purpose. of illustrating the various parts more, clearly.

The folding mechanism proper is mounted in a suitable frame I and in the example shown is drivenfroma motor 2. It comprises two folding plates, namely an upper folding plate 3 and a lower folding. plate 4. which are operated by the means hereinafter described in such a way that the lower'plate 4 is moved simultaneously upwardly and forwardly, i. e., in the. direction of the feedof the paper to effect a fold,. and afterwards downwardly and then rearwardly to withdraw from the folding position while the upper folding plate 3- is respectively moved simultaneously downwardly and forwardly and thereafter upwardly and then rearwardly toperform the same operation for equal folds symmetrically in an opposite sense.

The articles to be folded here represented by sheets of paper, are indicated by the numeral 5 and: are carried forward by an endless belt 6 over the top of a table 6a. over which the belt travels guided by the rollers 5b at each end of the table, the lower loop of the belt being suitably-engaged by atensioning roller Be. A weight preferably in the form of a runner roller I is caused to rest upon-thetopmostone of the sheets which are placed upon the table, as is customary, in the form of a fanned out pile. The weight I is adapted to keep the sheets in frictional contact with the belt and .acts also as a stop to prevent the sheets from moving backwardly on the return stroke of the feed mechanism. Each sheet is shown preliminarily provided with a single transverse fold d at its forward end (Figs. 3 and 4), which end forms the leading edge of the sheet and is engaged by feed fingers 8 associated with duplicated feed levers 9, pivotally mounted at 9a one at each side of the machine as shown in Figures 2 and 11 forming part of the feed mechanism. When the feed mechanism is actuated the levers 9 advance and the fingers 8 being arranged to engage the sheet to be folded on the inside of the preliminary fold are likewise advanced to bring that sheet portion to the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Likewise associated with the sheet feed mechanism are further fingers H] which are pivotally mounted on a rotatable transverse shaft H (see Figs. 2 and i1) journaled in bearings |2a on what may be termed a feed frame I2. This frame is slidably mounted on stationary guides |2b. As seen in Figs. 1, 2;, and 3 the fingers H) are normally held in substantially upright or vertical position, and are provided with depending arms ||a which as the feed frame moves forward are each caused to engage a pin l3 carried by the main frame of the machine and thus effect the rocking of the fingers IE] into engagement with the upper end or fold portion of the paper sheet while at the same time the fingers 8 are in engagement with the lower portion or crease region of the fold (see Figs. 4 and 5). The fingers 8 and It thus hold this part 5a. of the paper in position until the upper folding plate 3 is moved down to engage this upright portion of the paper and to press it against the lower plate 4 which is then in the position to form the support of this folded part of the paper as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 7, the fingers 8 and It being withdrawn practically at the same time.

The lower plate 4 is then withdrawn downwardly and rearwardly and immediately thereafter is again swung upwardly and forwardly to engage the next portion of the paper sheet and fold it up around the bottom edge of the upper plate 3 along the preliminary or first fold made in the paper, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8. Almost at the same time the upper plate 3 is now withdrawn while the preceding folded paper portion is held up by the lower plate 4 (see Fig. 9). The plate 3 then comes down again to engage the next length of the paper and to fold it about the upper edge of the lower plate 4 and then to hold it in position .while the lower plate 4 is again being withdrawn. This process is repeated with these alternating movements of the fold plates until the sheet has received its required number of concertina folds and as indicated in the Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 9, whereupon the next sheet is fed in by the feeding mechanism to be dealt with in similar manner.

The folded sheets pass out between upper guides l4 and lower guides I5, see Figs. 2, 3 and 5, to a receiving table IS. The receiving table I6 is provided with two upright cheeks I! as shown in Fig. 2 and a sliding block l8 which is associated with a spindle l9 extending through slots 20 in the cheeks By means of springs or weights 2| the folded sheets are kept under pressure through the block l8 and the folding and stacking operation is carried on against this constant pressure. As the folded sheets accumulate they are removed from this collecting receptacle from time to time to make room for the oncoming folded material.

The movements of the folding plates 3 and 4 above described may be attained in various ways. In the present instance these folding plates are operated by properly timed cams. rteierring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 11 it will be seen that the upper plate 3, which is suitably slotted to pass between the guides M in the manner shown in Fig. 6, is mounted on an oscillating arm 22 which is pivoted on a shaft at 22a mounted in a carriage 23 which latter is slidably mounted on a vertical rod 24. Pivoted at one end to the main frame of the machine is a horizontal arm 25 the other end of which bears upon the shaft 22a. Mounted above this arm on a transverse shaft 26a is a cam 26 adapted to engage arm 25 and so formed as to force this arm 25 downwardly at the same time that a similar cam 21 journalled in a lower lug 21a on the carriage 23 engages the arm 22 and forces it forwardly together with the plate 3 towards the paper to be folded. Springs 25a. and 22b are provided for respectively raising the carriage 23 and for retracting the arm 22 to bring the upper folding plate 3 back to its normal position although it will be understood that cams may be employed to effect both movements. The lower folding plate 4 is arranged in a similar way and operated through equivalent mechanism by the use of similar cams as shown in an exactly analogous manner which need not therefore be described in detail.

The operation of the feeding mechanism is effected intermittently and in the example shown by the use of the following means: A spring 28 anchored at one end to a fixed frame portion of the machine and at the other end to the feed lever '9 normally urges the latter inwardly, that is to say forwardly towards the folding mechanism. Apin 29 (see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 11) secured to the lower part of one of the feed levers 9, normally engages a slow moving cam 30 rotatably mounted on a transverse shaft 30a thereby restraining the forward or inward movement of the feed lever 9 until, during the rotation of the cam 30, the pin 29 drops into a slot 29a in the cam 3|] as shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the lever 9 due to the pull of the spring 28 is caused to move quickly forward, thus feeding the sheet engaged by the fingers 8 to the folding position as already described. A second comparatively fast moving cam 3| fixedly mounted on the same shaft 30a adjacent to the cam 30 immediately thereafter forces the pin 29 out of the slot 29a in the cam so, thus effecting quick and almost instant withdrawal or return of the feed mechanism. The shaft 30a is driven by a chain 52 from a countershaft 43 thus rotating the cam 3| while the cam 30 is driven by, but at a slower speed than the shaft 30a, through a countershaft drive 30b.

A link 32 is adjustably and pivotally connected to the lower end of one feed lever 9 (see Fig. l) and is provided at its other end with a rocking pawl 33 adapted normally to engage the teeth in a ratchet wheel 34 secured on a shaft 31. As the feed levers 9 move forward, the link 32 is likewise moved forward and on the backward movement thereof the pawl 33 engages and drives an adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 34 and thereby efiects a partial rota-tion of the latter. By means of a sprocket wheel also mounted on the shaft 3! and therefore in positive driving connection with the ratchet wheel 34 and a chain 35 rotation of said sprocket wheel 34 is transmitted to a sprocket 36 mounted on the shaft carrying the forward roller 62) of the feed belt 6. In this way intermittent movement is transmitted to the feed belt at the requisite time to convey each sheet progressively at desired intervals to the feed position. As the feed levers 9 are retracted by the action of the cam 3| it will be understood that the feed fingers 8 together with the feed frame l2 and the fingers I!) are likewise pulled back on to the first fold 5a of the next sheet as illustrated in Fig. 3 and are thus positioned ready for the next feeding movement,

A countershaft 40 is driven from the motor 2 through a belt transmission 38 bymeans of a pulley 39. Secured to the shaft 46 is a sprocket 40a transmitting movement by a chain 4| to a sprocket 42 mounted on the countershaft 43 located below the feed table and parallel to the shaft carrying the feed belt roller 6b. From this countershaft 43 movement is transmitted by a chain 44 to a sprocket wheel 45 mounted on a transverse shaft 46 journalled in bearings on a support 41 in the upper part of the frame I. Mounted on the shaft 46 moreover is a gear wheel 48 meshing with a gear wheel 49 on and adjacent shaft 56. From this shaft 50 movement is transmitted from the gear wheels 48, 49 by a chain drive 5| to the shaft 26a operating the cam 26 and by a chain drive 5 l a to the shaft carrying the cam 21. In a similar manner the cams operating the lower plate 4 are driven from the countershaft 43 by sprocket drives '52 and 52a, the former drive being the one also actuating the cams 30 and 3| controlling the feed mechanism as previously described.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in practice the mechanism of this machine will be made so as to be readily adjustable to enable the machine to be used for the folding of sheets of different sizes. Moreover if contrary to the customary practice it were desired to fold sheets which are not provided with a preliminary or initial fold the feed mechanism would be associated with a time actuated lifting member adapted in co-operation with the feed fingers 8 to prefold the unfolded forward end or edge of the sheet as it is advanced from the pile by the feed fingers 8 and to hold it in the raised position and to be withdrawn when the upper folding plate comes down and clamps the sheet in that position.

By the use of mechanism as illustrated by way of example in Fig. 10 concertina folds of varying depth may be readily obtained.

To this end the snail cam 26 is mounted on the shaft 26a for operating the upper fold plate 3 so as to be longitudinally displaceable and is of generally conical form so that by its displacement varying portions. of its circumference may be brought into co-operation with an adjacent roller or abutment 53 associated with the member 25 for effecting the reciprocatory movement of fold plate arms 22. Consequently longitudinal displacement of the cam 26 on its shaft 26a will result in a different amount of vertical movement of the fold plate thus enabling the depth of the fold to be varied as required. The cam is keyed to or otherwise constrained to rotate with its shaft 26a and the depth of each fold thus predetermined will remain constant as long as the cam 26 remains in its adjusted position. In this way a series of folds all of the same depth (which may be varied) is obtained. To enable a definite sequence of folds of consecutively varying depth to be reproduced the adjustment of the cam 26 may be effected automatically. For example as shown, the cam 26 can be shifted along its shaft by means of a rocking lever 54 fulcrumed at 55 in a brace 56 of the framework. To this end the lever 54 is double-armed, the free end of its upper arm engaging a groove 56 in a boss 5'! on the cam 26. Its lower arm is provided with a pin 58 engaging in a cam groove 59 of a cylindrical drum 60 mounted on a shaft 6|. This shaft is driven by gear wheels 62, 63 from a shaft 64 which is in turn driven from a suitable point of the machine drive, for instance from the chain drive 44 in Fig. 1. The gear ratio of the gear wheels 62, 63 is so arranged that the shaft 6i makes one complete revolution for every sheet handled. It will be understood that the cam 26 when rotating will be forced from side to side by the lever arm 54 as the latter is rocked by the cam slot 59 in the cylinder 60 while the latter is rotated by the gear train 62, 63 with the result that the arm 25 attached to the upper fold plate 3 through the arms 22 will be forced down to a varying extent at each rotation of cam 26 giving the stepped formation of concertina fold required. The rotary speed of the cylinder 60 and the pitch of the cam slot 59 therein, as well as the pitch of the cam 26 will govern the number of folds or steps and depth of the same.

Instead of employing a single cam of progressively varying cross section. for controlling the fold depth, a series of cams each of different throw may be employed side by side and the sequence of the successive folds of varying depth may be altered by the requisite choice and combination of any of such cams.

We claim:

1. In a sheet folding machine, a pair of movable folding plates positioned respectively above and below the path of the travel of the sheets fed to and between them in a horizontal plane, and means for actuating each plate to perform reciprocating movements and simultaneously therewith variable movements in opposite directions to and from the position in which the sheet is folded between them to vary the size of the folds thereby produced in the sheet.

2. In a sheet folding machine, vertically movable folding plates, cams for imparting vertical movement to said plates, and means for progressively varying the effective throw of said cams in timed relation to the feed of the sheet to progressively vary the size of folds formed in the sheet.

3. In a sheet folding machine, vertically movable folding plates, snail cams for imparting vertical movement to said plates, and means for axially displacing said snail cams for varying the effective throw of said cams to vary the size of folds formed in the sheet.

4. In a sheet folding machine, vertically movable folding plates, snail cams for imparting vertical movement to said plates, and means for axially displacing said snail cams for progressively.

varying the effective throw of said cams in timed relation to the feed of the sheet to progressively vary the size of folds formed in the sheet.

GEORGE E. SMITH. WILLIAM W. S-I'AILWORTHY. 

